Transparent electrode and electronic device

Abstract

Provided is a transparent electrode having both sufficient conductivity and light transmittance, as well as an electronic device whose performance is improved by using the transparent electrode. A transparent electrode ( 1 ) includes: a nitrogen-containing layer ( 1 a ) formed by using a compound containing nitrogen atom; and an electrode layer ( 1 b ) formed adjacent to the nitrogen-containing layer ( 1 a ) by using silver or an alloy having silver as a main component.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A transparent electrode comprising:
 a transparent base material; 
 a nitrogen-containing layer consisting of a single compound containing nitrogen atom, wherein the nitrogen-containing layer is formed on the transparent base material; and 
 an electrode layer formed on the nitrogen-containing layer and in contact with the nitrogen-containing layer, by using silver or an alloy having silver as a main component, the electrode layer having a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side of the first surface and configured such that the first surface is in contact with the nitrogen-containing layer and the second surface serves to face an opposite electrode, 
 wherein the nitrogen-containing layer is in contact with the transparent base material, and 
 the single compound containing nitrogen atom has a heterocycle with a nitrogen atom as a hetero atom. 
 
     
     
       2. The transparent electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the single compound containing nitrogen atom includes a pyridine group. 
     
     
       3. The transparent electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the single compound containing nitrogen atom is a compound represented by General Formula (1),
   (Ar1) n 1-Y1  General Formula (1)
 
 where 
 n1 represents an integer of 1 or greater, Y1 represents a substituent if n1 is equal to 1, or a bond or an n1-valent linking group if n1 is equal to or greater than 2; 
 Ar1 represents a group represented by below-mentioned General Formula (A), and if n1 is equal to or greater than 2, a plurality of pieces of Ar1 may either be the same, or be different from each other; 
 the compound represented by General Formula (1) has, in the molecule, at least two condensed aromatic heterocycles each formed by condensing three or more rings, 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where 
         X represents —N(R)—, —O—, —S— or —Si(R)(R′)—, and E1 to E8 each represent —C(R1)= or —N=, wherein R, R′ and R1 each represent a hydrogen atom, a substituent or a linking site with Y1; 
         * represents a linking site with Y1, and Y2 represents a bond or a divalent linking group; 
         Y3 and Y4 each represent a group derived from a 5-membered or 6-membered aromatic ring, wherein at least one of Y3 and Y4 represents a group derived from an aromatic heterocycle containing a nitrogen atom as a ring constituent atom: and 
         n2 represents an integer of 1 to 4. 
       
     
     
       4. The transparent electrode according to  claim 3 , wherein the compound represented by General Formula (1) is a compound represented by General Formula (2), 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where 
         Y5 represents a divalent linking group which is an arylene group, a heteroarylene group or a combination of the arylene group and the heteroarylene group; 
         E51 to E66 each represent —C(R3)= or —N=, wherein R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; Y6 to Y9 each represent a group derived from an aromatic hydrocarbon ring or a group derived from an aromatic heterocycle, wherein at least one of Y6 and Y7 and at least one of Y8 and Y9 each represent a group derived from an aromatic heterocycle containing a nitrogen atom; and 
         n3 and n4 each represent an integer of 0 to 4, wherein the sum of n3 and n4 is 2 or more. 
       
     
     
       5. The transparent electrode according to  claim 4 , wherein the compound represented by General Formula (2) is a compound represented by General Formula (3), 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         where 
         Y5 represents a divalent linking group which is an arylene group, a heteroarylene group or a combination of the arylene group and the heteroarylene group; 
         E51 to E66 and E71 to E88 each represent —C(R3)= or —N=, wherein R3 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and wherein at least one of E71 to E79 and at least one of E80 to E88 each represent —N=; and 
         n3 and n4 each represent an integer of 0 to 4, wherein the sum of n3 and n4 is 2 or more. 
       
     
     
       6. The transparent electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the film-thickness of the electrode layer is in a range between 4 nm to 9 nm. 
     
     
       7. The transparent electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the transparent base material comprises a glass or resin layer formed with an inorganic material coat, an organic material coat, or a hybrid coat. 
     
     
       8. The transparent electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen-containing layer has neither electron transporting performance nor electron injection performance. 
     
     
       9. The transparent electrode according to  claim 1 , wherein the heterocycle of the single compound containing nitrogen atom is aziridine, azirine, azetidine, azete, azolidine, azole, piperidine, pyridine, azepane, azepine, imidazole, pyrazole, oxazole, thiazole, imidazoline, pyrazine, morpholine, thiazine, indole, isoindole, benzimidazole, purine, quinoline, isoquinoline, quinoxaline, cinnoline, pteridine, acridine, carbazole, benzo-C-cinnoline, porphyrin, chlorine, or choline. 
     
     
       10. An electronic device comprising:
 the transparent electrode described in  claim 1 ; and 
 a functional layer on the electrode layer of the transparent electrode. 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device according to  claim 10 , wherein the electronic device is an organic electroluminescence element. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device according to  claim 11 , wherein the electrode layer is sandwiched by the functional layer and the nitrogen-containing layer.